The present invention relates to a connector structure utilized in a bench-type automobile seat assembly for connecting the lower portion of the seat back to a rearward portion of the seat.
It is known in the automotive industry to provide a bench-type vehicle seat assembly which is adapted to accommodate two or more persons. The conventional bench-type seat assembly includes a seat and a seat back which are connected to one another and retained in operative relation through a connector structure provided at opposite sides of the seat assembly. The normal inclined position which the seat back assumes with respect to the seat is termed the "dress-up" position. Some connector structures permit a seat assembly occupant to recline the seat back at varying angles with respect to the seat to enable the seat assembly occupant to position the seat back in positions other than the dress-up position in a manner which is most comfortable to the particular seat occupants. The connector structure enables such pivotal movement by providing a first pivot point about which the seat back can be pivoted with respect to the seat. The connector structure may further enable the seat back to be moved from its "dress-up" position to a "dump" position in which a back surface of the seat back provides a horizontal cargo support. This is accomplished by providing a second pivot point, which is higher that the first pivot point, that enables the seat back to be tilted forwardly (or "dumped") until its back surface is substantially horizontal.
In the conventional connector structure which has both the reclining and dumping features, at least two operating levers are provided; a first lever being used for reclining the seat back by enabling pivotal movement of the seat back about the first pivot point, and a second lever being used for enabling the seat back to be dumped by pivotal movement of the seat back about the second pivot point.
More recently, the patent literature has proposed to provide a connector structure that can accomplish both reclining and dump features, and which provides only one lever. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,252 discloses a bench-type connector structure which is capable of both the reclining and dump features, and which provides a single lever that is manually movable to permit the seat back to be pivotally moved about a first pivot point along incremental positions so that the seat back can be reclined at varying angles with respect to the seat. Although the connector structure in the aforementioned patent also permits the seat back to be dumped to provide a horizontal cargo support, movement of the lever does not effect the unlatching of a latch which enables the seat back to be moved into its dump position. Rather, after the lever is moved, limited forward movement of the seat back past the dress-up position is necessary to unlatch the connector structure to permit the seat back to be dumped. Thus, the device provides the seat back with an undesirably complicated range of movement.
Other problems with the aforementioned type of device also exist. For example, use of the lever in this type of device does not enable locking and unlocking of the seat back into and out of the dump position. In fact, the seat back cannot be locked in the dump position in any manner. This has the undesirable effect of providing an unstable cargo bed.
There is thus a need to provide a connector structure which overcomes the problems noted above. It is an object of the present invention to satisfy this need. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is provided a connector structure for connecting a rigid member disposed towards the lower portion of one side of an automobile seat back to a rearward portion of an automobile seat. The connector structure enables the seat back to be reclined at varying angles with respect to the automobile seat by being pivoted about a first pivot point. The connector structure further enables the seat back to be positioned in a manner which permits a back surface thereof to provide a horizontal cargo support by being pivoted about a second pivot point. The connector structure comprises a seat member adapted to be fixed to the seat, and an arm adapted to interconnect with the rigid member of the seat back. The arm is mounted on the seat member for movement along a plurality of incremental positions about the first pivot point to enable the seat back to be reclined at varying angles with respect to the seat. The arm has a releasable locking assembly constructed and arranged to lock the rigid member against movement relative to the arm to thereby rigidly maintain the seat back in one of (1) a dress-up position wherein the seat back is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the seat and (2) a dump position wherein the seat back is substantially parallel in overlying relation with respect to the seat and horizontally presents its back surface to provide a horizontal cargo support. The releasable locking assembly is releasable to permit movement of the rigid member of the seat back with respect to the arm about the second pivot point and thereby enable the seat back to be pivotally movable between the dress-up and dump positions. The connector structure also includes a latch assembly constructed and arranged to lock the arm selectively into one of the incremental positions so as to set the angle at which the seat back is reclined with respect to the seat at an angle greater than the predetermined angle. The connector structure also includes a lever mechanism manually movable to (1) disable the latch assembly and thereby permit the arm to be movable along the incremental positions about the first pivot point so that the seat back can be reclined at varying angles with respect to the seat and (2) release the releasable locking assembly to permit movement of the rigid member of the seat back with respect to the arm about the second pivot point and thereby enable the seat back to be pivotally movable between the dress-up and dump positions. The lever mechanism is manually releasable to selectively (1) enable the latch assembly to lock the arm into a selected one of the incremental positions so as to set the angle at which the seat back is reclined with respect to the seat and (2) enable the releasable locking assembly to lock the rigid member against movement relative to the arm and rigidly maintain seat back in one of the dress-up and dump positions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an entire seat assembly which overcomes the problems noted above. The present invention achieves this object by providing a seat assembly for an automobile comprising a seat, a seat back, and a pair of connector structures. The seat back has a pair of rigid members extending outwardly from lower portions of opposite sides of the seat back, and the pair of connector structures are disposed at opposite sides of the seat assembly. The connector structures are constructed and arranged to connect the lower portions of the seat back with a rearward portion of the seat and enable the seat back to be reclined at varying angles with respect to the automobile seat by being pivoted about a first pivot point and further enables the seat back to be positioned in a manner which permits a back surface thereof to provide horizontal cargo support by being pivoted about a second pivot point. At least one of the connector structures includes a seat member adapted to be fixed to the seat; an arm adapted to interconnect with the rigid member of the seat back and mounted on the seat member for movement along a plurality of incremental positions about the first pivot point to enable the seat back to be reclined at varying angles with respect to the seat, the arm having a releasable locking assembly constructed and arranged to lock the rigid member against movement relative to the arm to thereby rigidly maintain the seat back in one of (1) a dress-up position wherein the seat back is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the seat and (2) a dump position wherein the seat back is substantially parallel in overlying relation with respect to the seat and horizontally presents its back surface to provide a horizontal cargo support, the releasable locking assembly being releasable to permit movement of the rigid member of the seat back with respect to the arm about the second pivot point and thereby enable the seat back to be pivotally movable between the dress-up and dump positions; a latch assembly constructed and arranged to lock the arm selectively into one of the incremental positions so as to set the angle at which the seat back is reclined with respect to the seat at an angle greater than the predetermined angle; and a lever mechanism manually movable to (1) disable the latch assembly and thereby permit the arm to be movable along the incremental positions about the first pivot point so that the seat back can be reclined at varying angles with respect to the seat and (2) release the releasable locking assembly to permit movement of the rigid member of the seat back with respect to the arm about the second pivot point and thereby enable the seat back to be pivotally movable between the dress-up and dump positions; the lever mechanism being manually releasable to selectively (1) enable the latch assembly to lock the arm into a selected one of the incremental positions so as to set the angle at which the seat back is reclined with respect to the seat and (2) enable the releasable locking assembly to lock the rigid member against movement relative to the arm and rigidly maintain seat back in one of the dress-up and dump positions.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims,